Phillip and Anne had been at Disney for three days. They had already been to Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios, and were planning to go to Magic Kingdom today. Phillip had never been to Disney when he was little, so Anne had planned ten days worth of Disney Park exploration. When they checked in to their hotel, they had learned that today and tomorrow were days people staying in their hotel could go to Magic Kingdom early, so they planned on going this morning and tomorrow. They woke up at 5:45 to get showered, dressed, and have breakfast before getting on a Disney bus at 6:45.
Phillip and Anne arrived a the park at 7AM sharp, right when the gates were opened for the hotel visitors. Phillip was amazed.
"How could my parents think this was a 'waste of time?' " he asked Anne as they walked. Anne laughed.
"I really don't know, Phil," she replied. "Maybe it wasn't fancy enough." Phillip burst out laughing.
"I'm sure they were concerned that their social status would be ruined by going to Disney," he said. "It would be terrible to let their only son experience the joy of Disney." Anne laughed.
"Well, now you can experience the joy of Disney with me," she said. "Isn't that even better?" Phillip considered this.
"That's a good point," he said. "Going to Disney with you is more fun than going anywhere with my parents."
"Did they ever take you on vacation?" Anne asked. Phillip nodded, grimacing.
"Many times."
"Where?" Anne asked.
"All over. We went to Europe once," Phillip replied.
"Europe? That sounds like so much fun!" Anne exclaimed. Phillip laughed.
"Not really. They made me eat snails in Paris. And we rode the London Eye, but there wasn't enough room for all of us in the car and I had to go alone," he said, shuddering. Anne squeezed his hand sympathetically.
"Did you like anything about the trip?" she asked.
"Coming home," he answered, grinning.
"Well, is this trip any better?"
"Definitely!" Phillip said. "It's Disney! And you're here, of course." Anne smiled.
"Well, that's good," she said. "Ooh, do you want to ride the Pirates of the Caribbean ride?" she asked.
"Sure," Phillip replied. "Pirates is cool." Anne gave an excited little hop.
"Thank you!" she said. "You know, I used to have the biggest crush on Will Turner when I was 13. I wanted to marry him someday." Phillip laughed.
"So, I am I as good as Will Turner then, if you're going to marry me instead? Maybe?" he asked as they got in line for the ride. Anne laughed again, and Phillip could swear his heart skipped a beat. Or three.
"You answer that," Anne told him.
"Uh… no?"
"Phil!" Anne exclaimed. "Self-confidence!"
"Really?" Phillip asked. "I'm as good as Will Turner?" Anne leaned in and kissed him as the line began to move.
"Is that a satisfactory answer?" she asked as the line began to move. Phillip nodded, his heart having grown wings and flown away into the clouds. As the ride started to move, Anne put her arm around him and he rested his head on her shoulder.
"I love you, Anne," he said softly.
"I love you too, Phil," Anne replied.
"As much as Will?" Phillip asked. Anne nodded, laughing.
Four hours later, they had ridden the Pirates ride three times and too many other rides to count. As they were walking, Phillip spotted the teacup ride.
"Can we ride the teacups, Anne?" he asked.
"Sure!" Anne replied. They got in line to wait and were soon inside the teacup waiting for the ride to start. As it started to move, Phillip started spinning the cup faster and faster. He looked over at Anne, who grinned and gave him a thumbs-up. As the ride slowed and stopped, they tottered out of the teacup with the rest of the crowd.
"Uh… Phil?" Anne said. While Phillip had shaken off the dizziness, Anne was greenish and still disoriented. "Could we sit down?" she asked. Phillip put her arm around his shoulders and brought her to a nearby bench. She sat down with her head between her knees. She started to gag, losing a bit of her breakfast in the process, but still clung tightly to Phillip's hand. When she was done, Phillip passed her a bottle of water, which she accepted gratefully. A park worker walked up to them, asking if they could move for a minute. Phillip nodded, grabbing the bag and supporting Anne as the worker sprayed off the walkway with some kind of cleaner.
"Sorry," Anne whispered. The worker smiled.
"It's okay," he said. "Happens to everyone." Anne smiled weakly. "Have a nice day at the park!" he told them as he walked away.
"Are you okay?" Phillip asked Anne as they sat back down. Anne nodded.
"Sorry," she said again. "I didn't mean to get motion sick." Phillip smiled.
"Its okay," Phillip told her. "Are you sure you're alright?" he asked.
"I'm fine, Phil, I promise," Anne replied. "Could I have some food, though?" Phillip nodded, handing her a package of animal crackers. She laughed when she saw the brand name, Barnum's Animals, and Phillip smiled.
"Do you want anything else to get the taste out of your mouth?" he asked. "I have some coffee, but it might be cold." He took a sip of the coffee. "Yeah. Cold."
"Really, Phil?" Anne asked, playfully punching him in the shoulder. "If you gave me that coffee, I'd probably throw up again—on you this time." Phillip gasped.
"Are you saying that I have cooties?" he asked, unable to keep a grin off his face.
"No, I'm saying that coffee is disgusting!" Anne replied, laughing.
"Is not!" Phillip said.
"Is too!"
"Is not!"
"Is too!"
"Is—what were we saying?" Phillip asked.
"We had just agreed that coffee tastes terrible," Anne replied.
"Well, it would get the taste out of your mouth," Phillip said, stealing an animal cracker. Anne stole it back and ate it. Phillip pouted.
"Would you deprive me of one animal cracker?" he asked.
"I'm the one who threw up their breakfast!" Anne told him, tossing another animal cracker into her mouth.
"Well, I can get on the teacups again," Phillip said. Anne laughed.
"I wouldn't recommend it," she said. She pulled one more cracker out and handed the bag to Phillip, who pulled out the last cracker and ate it happily. Anne grabbed the backpack and pulled out two sandwiches. She handed one to Phillip and wolfed her own down in record time. Phillip stared. He had only taken three bites of his sandwich in the time Anne had eaten all of hers. Anne grinned and started eating a brownie, and Phillip grabbed the last brownie so she didn't eat it. As they finished their lunch, Anne pulled out a map of the park.
"Is there anywhere else you want to go?" she asked Phillip. Phillip leaned over to look at the map.
"We're coming back tomorrow, right?" he asked. Anne nodded. "So let's save everything else for tomorrow and go back to the hotel," he suggested. Anne considered this.
"That sounds nice," she said. "You don't mind leaving the park early today?" she asked.
"Not at all," Phillip replied. "And you look like you could use some sleep. We could go back and get a nap and then just chill in the room." Anne agreed.
"A nap would be great," she said. "Motion sickness is exhausting." Phillip laughed. "Really!" she insisted, smiling. "It is! If you don't believe me, you can get back on the teacups," she said. Phillip held up his hands in a gesture of surrender.
"I'm okay, actually, but thanks," he said as they stood up. Anne laughed as she picked up the backpack and they headed to the exit.
When Anne woke up the next morning, Phillip was already in the shower, but there was an envelope on the nightstand next to the bed. It was buried under a few books, but Anne's curiosity got the best of her and she pulled it out. The envelope read, Anne, and she sat up and opened it. Inside were a few pieces of notebook paper and a smaller note. She unfolded the paper, revealing what looked to be song lyrics in Phillip's neat manuscript. The note bore the simple message,
My army of one is gonna fight for you
{Coldplay, Army of One}
Love, Phil
As Phillip walked out of the bathroom, already showered and dressed, he saw Anne sitting up in bed holding a piece of paper. With a jolt, he realized what it was—the lyrics to a song she liked that he had written out for her, but was too scared to actually give her. Anne noticed he was there and moved over so he could sit down. He sat down next to her, worrying what she would think. He opened his mouth to talk, but Anne gently put her hand in front of his face. He closed his mouth obediently.
"I know what you're going to say, Phil," Anne started. "That the envelope was an accident, or it was for later, or it wasn't done yet. But can I ask you something?" she said. Phillip nodded.
"Okay," he said, and apprehensive tone in his voice. Is she mad at me? he thought to himself.
"What are you so afraid of?" Anne asked, taking Phillip's hands in hers.
"I—" he started. "I'm scared to trust people, because… I'm scared that they'll hurt me in return, like… my parents did." A tear slipped down his face.
"Oh Phil, I'm so sorry," Anne said. She wiped away the tear on his face with the pad of her thumb.
"I'm sorry, Anne," Phillip whispered.
"What are you sorry for?" Anne asked. "If your parents are terrible people, it's not your fault. And I do love you, Phil, and I want you to be able to trust me. Remember when we went to Wonderworks a few days ago?" she asked. Phillip nodded. "You trusted me enough to do the ropes course, remember?" and didn't you have fun?" Phillip nodded again. "Please believe me, Phil. I won't betray your trust, I promise." Phillip gave her a weak smile.
"Thank you," he said. Anne smiled back at him.
"I'm going to shower and get dressed," she said, sliding off the bed and collecting some clean clothes as she headed towards the bathroom. As she passed the bed, she bent down and gently kissed Phillip's forehead, then walked into the bathroom and closed the door. A few minutes later, Anne's phone started beeping. Phillip picked it up and pressed Accept, and W.D.'s face filled the screen.
"Oh, hey Phillip," he said. Phillip jumped, and W.D. laughed.
"Hey," Phillip replied, still a little startled.
"Where's Anne?" W.D. asked.
"Shower." W.D.'s face fell.
"Oh. I had wanted to say hi and see how the Disney trip was going," he said as the bathroom door opened. Anne walked out, wearing jeans and a t-shirt that said, I can fly! with a picture of Peter Pan on a trapeze. Phillip handed her the phone.
"Hi W.D.!" she said. "I'm wearing the shirt you got me!" She held the phone out so he could see.
"Very nice," W.D. said. "Are you having fun at Disney? Without me?" he asked. Anne laughed.
"We do love you, W.D.," Anne said.
"I sense a but coming," W.D. grumbled.
"But you've been to Disney before," Anne finished.
"So have you!" he said, a mock outraged expression on his face.
"But Phillip loves me more. Right, Phillip?" Phillip, who had fallen asleep sitting up, jumped.
"What? Uh… sure," he said. Anne looked back at W.D. triumphantly, and W.D. sighed.
"Well, have fun today," he said.
"You too," Anne told him. "Sorry, but we have to go now. Phillip needs coffee and we want to get to the park by ten. Bye!" she said.
"Bye Anne!" W.D. responded, and the screen went dark.
"Did you say coffee?" Phillip mumbled sleepily from the bed.
"I did," Anne replied, pulling Phillip onto his feet. "It's downstairs. Let's go!" Phillip stumbled out of bed and out the door after Anne, towards the promise of food and coffee.
But mostly coffee.
After breakfast (and a lot of coffee on Phillip's part) they went to go spend the day in the park. After going on all the rides (except the spinning ones) and stopping for lunch at noon, it was almost time for the light show.
"Do you want to watch the light show?" Anne asked Phillip. Phillip shrugged.
"Most people watch the show, right?" he asked. Anne nodded. "So let's just ride the Pirates ride until the park closes." Anne's mouth fell open.
"Really?" she asked. Phillip nodded, and Anne threw her arms around him excitedly.
"Thank you!" she said. They took off running towards the ride. They arrived just in time to get a seat before the ride started and rode it until the park closed.
When Phillip and Anne got back to the hotel, they had a late dinner of animal crackers and brownies. Afterwards, they fell onto the bed, exhausted.
"Did you have fun?" Anne asked Phillip.
"Yeah," Phillip replied. "Thank you." Anne smiled.
"You're welcome, Phil," she said as they both fell asleep.
THE END
